First Time Using Car Subscription? Here’s What You Need to Know!

After reading this article you’ll go from a Car Subscription newbie, to finding out everything you need to know to start your subscription journey. You’ll understand how to subscribe with Wagonex and take away some top tips to make the most out of this new way to drive. 

Car subscription explained 

Car Subscription is the only way to drive if you want minimal hassle and optimum flexibility.

How is Car Subscription more flexible? You can subscribe to a car for as short as a 1 month to 2+ year deals. There is also the option to cancel your subscription or swap your vehicle which means you aren't tied down by 5 year contracts and you car can change with your lifestyle. 

What do you mean by all-inclusive? Car Subscription makes your day-to-day life so much simpler because you have a lot of the additional costs that come with owning a car organised into one monthly payment. This includes road tax, breakdown cover, maintenance and servicing. With Wagonex, you also have the option to add fully comprehensive insurance for the length of your subscription as part of the online journey.

Is it all online? At Wagonex, we want to make it as easy as possible for you to use our service when it suits you. Our fully digitised journey means you can request a subscription vehicle online at any time. We understand that choosing a new car can be a big decision, so if you need a helping hand, our dedicated customer service team are on hand to help 9am-5pm Monday-Friday by phone, web chat and email.

We understand it can be hard finding the time to visit a dealership so instead you get the car delivered to your home or work - anywhere in the UK! Check out our top tips for first time subscribers below.

Crunch the numbers 

Subscription can be more cost effective than other types of ownership but you might need to adjust to paying a slightly higher monthly fee instead of paying for things such as repairs and insurance as and when you need to, which can often land at inconvenient times! 

Have a maximum monthly budget in mind before you start looking, paying for your subscription monthly means it’s vital that you set yourself a monthly budget that you feel you can afford to spend on a vehicle. We do run a soft credit check and our partners will need to carry out affordability checks to ensure the subscription you choose is a viable option for you.

Deposit - a subscription usually includes a small deposit to secure your vehicle, but unlike many car finance options this deposit is refundable when the car is returned. As you don't need to have a four figure deposit to hand, subscription can be a great option if you don't have money set aside to buy a car or to put down a large deposit. 

Consider the extra costs

Most of our subscription vehicles are new or nearly new but if anything should go wrong, the maintenance of the vehicle is covered in line with the BVRLA wear and tear guidelines and your car gets serviced annually for you too, ensuring that it's in tip top driving condition. 

Here's a list of the additional costs that come with other types of car ownership:

• Road tax
• Minor repairs
• Maintenance and servicing 
• Breakdown cover
• Insurance

What do you need to subscribe online with Wagonex?

Before you complete our online checkout make sure you have this information available:

• Credit or debit card 
• Account number and sort code 
• Driving Licence 
• Three years address history 
• Access to a mobile phone to verify your identity 

Do you meet the criteria?

We work with a number of trusted partners to provide a range of vehicle subscription options but there are some circumstances that mean you'll be unlikely to be accepted for a car subscription. For example;

•  You're under 25 years old
•  You have active County Court Judgements (CCJs) 
•  You've had your driving licence for less than 1 year 
•  You've had a major driving conviction in the last 3 years 
•  You have more than 6 points on your licence 
•  You have a very poor credit rating 

Insurance for subscription vehicles

During the checkout you can get a quote for fully comprehensive insurance from Wagonex for the duration of your subscription, or you can look externally with a different provider. If you have insurance specific questions you can email insurance@wagonex.com and our specialist team will be happy to help. Remember; it's required by law that your car is insured.

How easy is it to swap your vehicle? 

If you want to swap, renew or return your car, go to the ‘My Garage’ section of your account on Wagonex.com.

If you want to swap your vehicle for another, it’s always best to give us as much notice as possible. We recommend at least a week to ensure our partners can deliver your new car when required and settle anything outstanding with your previous subscription. 

If you need help with any of the above someone from our customer service team would be happy to talk you through the process. You can call 020 3002 0976 or email help@wagonex.com. 

How easy is it to return the car?

At the end of your subscription the supplier of the car will be in touch to arrange the return of the vehicle. After the car has been returned, our supplier will do a BVRLA fair wear and tear check. Once that’s completed your deposit will be back in your bank account.

Want to learn more about car subscription? 

• 7 ways to use a car subscription
• Car Rentals or Car Subscription? Differences explained
• How is subscription different to car leasing?